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MLB Players Weekend: New York’s Best Baseball Nicknames of All-Time

By Mike Vivalo

Sep 1, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; A bobble head doll of Babe Ruth on the field prior to a game between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 1, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; A bobble head doll of Babe Ruth on the field prior to a game between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports /
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SAN FRANCISCO – OCTOBER 28: A statue of baseball legend Willie Mays in Willie Mays Plaza before Game Two of the 2010 MLB World Series between the San Francisco Giants and the Texas Rangers at AT (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO – OCTOBER 28: A statue of baseball legend Willie Mays in Willie Mays Plaza before Game Two of the 2010 MLB World Series between the San Francisco Giants and the Texas Rangers at AT (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

“The Say Hey Kid”

Damn, New York has had some AWESOME baseball players, but I guess we knew that already.  Willie Mays has numbers for days, but people sleep on his defense (except for the basket catch of course). My favorite Willie Mays story is how he turned a double play from center field by charging a ball up the middle, stepping on second himself and throwing to first to turn two.  Classic.  He also did a year and a half of Korean War service in his prime FYI.

ORIGIN: As a rookie, Mays was told to just “say hey” when he didn’t know another player’s name. He said “hey” to so many players that they started to call him the “Say Hey Kid”.

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